Media Release
Date: Thursday 24 January 2013
Ward M3 Renal opening paves the way for Smith Building demolition
The first Waikato Hospital patient to move from Ward 24 in the Smith Building to the freshly refurbished renal ward in
the Menzies Building relished her new environment.
Ursula Bryce joined fellow renal patients and staff members in their air-conditioned rooms featuring flat screen
televisions and en-suites at 8.30am yesterday.
“I have been receiving dialysis treatment in Ward 24 for the past two weeks, and I get discharged tomorrow. I am lucky
that I get to experience one night in this fresh new home,” Ursula said.
“The space and the privacy here is better than it was in the old ward. And despite the ‘busyness’ of the move, the
nurses have been making me laugh and keeping me well occupied.”
The move is significant for Waikato Hospital; it is one of the last wards to leave Smith Building before demolition
starts next week.
“Lots of people have worked very hard to ensure the Smith Building is handed over to the demolishers on time this
Friday. Although it has been an enormous task, people have coped with very good grace with all of the moves,” chief
operating officer Jan Adams said.
Nurse manager Liz Courtney, who yesterday oversaw the moving process since the commendable hour of 5am, speaks fondly of
the transition.
“Although many staff have lots of memories of Smith Building, the overall attitude amongst us all is one of excitement
for a new start,” she said.
Ward M3 Renal has 12 beds and a 10-bedded space for Acute Renal Dialysis at the end of the corridor. Procedures within
the new ward include line insertions and removals, renal biopsies, haemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis.
“We are going to have a new procedure room soon to carry out renal biopsies. The patients also have bigger rooms and our
nursing office is about three times the size it was. So everyone is happy!” said Liz.
“We feel proud to be here; it’s clean, calm, light, bright and airy. And it only took us a couple of hours to move in.
We have come from an old ward and our morale has been lifted with this up to date environment,” she said.
A pre-demolition closing blessing of the Smith Building will be held at 7:30am at Waikato Hospital on Friday (25
January) following the final move of Ward 26 from Smith Building to Elizabeth Rothwell today.
The blessing will be a final walk through to celebrate the life within and of the building before it is demolished.
To follow the ward moves and building progress at Waikato Hospital on Facebook, click here,
For more photos of the move to Ward M3 Renal, click here
ENDS